his son That he would condemne others for sinne Antile But how doe you prooue the decree of reprobation to wit That God hath determined the destruction of thousands before the world was Theol. The Scripture calleth the reprobates The vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The Scripture sayth God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath Therefore it followeth that some are appointed vnto wrath The Scripture sayth of the reprobates That they were euen ordeined to stumble at the Word The Scripture sayth They were of olde ordeined to this condemnation Antile But how answer you this God willeth not the death of a sinner Therefore hee hath predestinate none to destruction Theol. God willeth not the death of a sinner simply and absolutely as it is the destruction of his creature but as it is a meane to declare his iustice and to set forth his glory Antile God did foresee and foreknow that the wicked would perish through their owne sinne but yet he did not predestinate them vnto it Theol. Gods prescience and foreknowledge cannot be separated from his decrée For whatsoeuer God hath foreséene foreknowen in his eternall counsell he hath determined the same shall come to passe For as it apperteineth to his wisdom to foreknow and foresée all things so doth it apperteine to his power to moderate and rule all things according to his will Antil What do you call prescience in God Theol. Presence in God is that whereby all things abide present before his eies so that to his eternall knowledge nothing is past nothing to come but all things are alwaies present And so are they present that they are not as conceiued imaginations formes and motions but all things are alwaies so present before God that he doth behold them in their verity and perfection Antil How can God iustly determine of mens destruction before they haue sinned Theol. This obiection hath béene answered in part before For I told you that God condemneth none but for sinne either originall only or else both original and actual For howsoeuer hée doth in himselfe before all time determine the reprobation of many yet he procéedeth to no execution till there be found in vs both iust deserts and apparant cause Therefore they deale vnsoundly and foolishly which confound the decrée of reprobation with damnation it selfe sith sinne is the cause of the one and onely the will of God of the other Phila. Well Sir sith we are so farre proceeded in this question by the occasion of this mans obiections and cauils I pray you now as you haue spoken much of reprobation and the causes thereof so let vs heare somewhat of election and the causes thereof and shew vs out of the Scriptures that God hath before all worlds chosen some to eternall life Theol. Touching the decrée of Election there are almost none that make any doubt thereof therefore small proofe shall serue for this point Onely I will confirme it by one or two testimonies out of the holy Scriptures First the Apostle saith Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue You sée the words are very plaine and pregnant for this purpose An other confirmation is taken out of the 8. Chap. to the Romanes in these words Those whom he knew before did he also predestinate to be like to the image of his own Sonne that he might be the first borne of many brethren Phila. Which be the causes of Election Theol. The causes of Election are to be found onely in God himselfe For his eternall election dependeth neither vpon man neither yet vpon any thing that is in man but is purposed in himselfe and established in Christ in whom we are Elected This is fully prooued in these words Who hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glory wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Where wée see the apostle telleth vs that his frée grace and the good pleasure of his will are the first motiues or moouing causes of our Election Phila. But the Papists fetch the first motiue of election out of mans merits and fore-seene works For say they God did fore-see who would repent beleeue and doe well and therefore he made choise of them Theol. But they are greatly deceiued For I say againe and againe that there was nothing in vs which did euer mooue God to set his loue vpon vs and to choose vs vnto life but he euer found the originall cause in himselfe As it is written Hee will haue mercy vpon whom he will haue mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth And againe It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie The Lord himselfe also testifieth that hée did choose his people not for any respect in them but onely because hée loued them and bare a speciall fauour vnto them So then it is a certaine truth that Gods eternall predestination excludeth all merits of man and all power of his will thereby to attaine vnto eternall life and that his frée mercy and vndeserued fauour is both the beginning the middest and the end of our saluation That is to say all is of him and nothing of our selues Phila. Whether then doth faith depend vpon election or election vpon faith That is whether did God choose vs because we doe beleeue or whether doe we beleeue because we are chosen Theol. Out of all doubt both faith and all fruits of faith doe depend vpon election For therefore we beléeue because we are elected and not therfore elected because we beléeue As it is written So many as were ordained to euerlasting life beleeued Antil If men be predestinate before they be borne to what purpose serue all precepts admonitions lawes c It forceth not how we liue For neither our godly or vngodly life can alter the purpose of God Theo. This is a very wicked and carnall obiection and sheweth a vile and dissolute minde in them that vse it But I would wish such men to consider the end of our election which is that we should lead a godly life As it is plainely set downe in the first to the Ephesians where the Apostle saith God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world But to what end that we should line as we lift No no saith he But that we should be holy and vnblameable before him Againe he saith We are perdestinate to bee made like the image of his Sonne that is to be holy and righteous For most certaine it is that we can iudge nothing of predestination but by the consequents that is by our calling iustification and sanctification
away himselfe for euer Now the holy Ghost saith the Adulterer doth such an act giueth such a venture and willingly murthereth himselfe Oh therefore woe vnto him that euer he was borne For sure it is that great Crowner of heauen that crownes whom hée will crowne shal one day sit vpon it and giue iudgement Moreouer as the Adulterer sinneth against his soule so also he sinneth against his bodie after a speciall manner as witnesseth the Apostle Also he sinneth against his goods and outward estate as the holy man Iob testifieth saying Adulterie is a fire that deuoureth to destruction and it will roote out all our encrease Furthermore he sinneth against his name For the Adulterer shall finde a wound and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer be put away Item he sinneth against his wife who is his companion and the wife of his couenant And God saith in the same place Let none trespasse against the wife of his youth keepe your selues in your spirit and transgresse not Last of all he sinneth against his children and posteritie as the Lord said to Dauid Because thou hast despised me and done this therefore the sword shall neuer depart from thy house Beholde I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house Now therefore to conclude this point we may sée how many deadly wounds men make in themselues by committing of adultery They wound themselues in their soules They wound themselues in their bodies They wound themselues in their goods They wound themselues in their names They wound themselues in their wiues and in their children What man except he were stark mad would thrust in himselfe in so many places at once The adulterer with his owne sin of adulterie maketh all these deadly wounds in himselfe And it is a hundred to one he will neuer get them cured but will die and bléed to death of them Lo thus you sée the dangerous quality and condition of this sin Shall we now therfore make light of it Shall we say it is but a tricke of youth Shal we smooth ouer the matter with swéet words when the holy Ghost maketh it so hainous and capitall Shal we make nothing of that which draweth downe Gods wrath vpon the soule body goods name wife and children That were an intolerable blindnesse and most extreame hardnesse of heart An ancient writer hath long agoe passed sentence vpon vs who make so light of this sin for saith he Adultery is the very hooke of the diuell whereby he draweth vs to destruction And another godly Father saith that Adulterie is like a furnace whose mouth is gluttonie the flame pride the sparkles filthy words the smoke an euill name the ashes pouertie and the end shame And so wée plainly sée that howsoeuer wée regard not this sinne but flatter our selues in it yet those whose eies the Lord hath opened haue in all ages condemned it as most flagitious and horrible yea the very Heathen will rise vp in iudgment against vs who haue spoken and written many things against this filthy beastly vice Phila. Now indeede you haue sufficiently branded the vice of adulterie and laid out the vglinesse thereof that all men may behold it starke naked and abhorre it If any man notwithstanding all this will venture vpon it hee may be saide to be a most desperate monster For what doth he else but as it were put his finger into the Lions mouth and as it were take the beare by the tooth and they may well know what will follow and what they may looke for Let all men therefore in time take heed to themselues and to their owne soules as they will answer it at their vttermost perill at the dreadfull day of iudgement when the secrets of all hearts shal be disclosed But now one thing resteth to wit that you should shew vs the speciall roots and causes of adulterie Theol. There be fiue speciall causes of it The first is our naturall corruption for the verie spawne and séed of all sinne is in our corrupt nature and this of all other is a most inherent sinne as witnesseth the Apostle Iames saying When lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is perfected bringeth forth death The second is gluttonie and fulnesse of Bread for when men haue filled their bellies and crammed their paunches as full of good cheare wine and strong drinke as their skins can hold what are they méet for or what mind they else but adulterie and vncleannesse And therfore well saith one Great nourishment and grosse feed it is the shop of lust The Heathen Poet could skill to say Sine Cicere Baccho friget Venus Without meat and drinke lust waxeth colde And to this effect the wise king saith that their eies shall behold strange women whose hearts are set vpon wine and belly-cheare And therefore he aduiseth all men not to looke vpon the wine when it appeareth red when it sheweth his colour in the cup or stirreth very kindely and that for feare of this after-clap An ancient writer saith to the sam purpose Hee that delicately pampereth his belly and yet would ouercome the spirit of fornication is like him that will quench a flame of fire with Oyle Therefore to close vp this point sure it is though men pray heare and read much and be otherwise well disposed yet except they be absteinous in diet they will be much troubled with lust The third cause of adulterie is Idlenesse For when men are lazie luskish and idle hauing nothing to do they lie wide open to adulterie and lust créepeth into them Some Historiographers write the Crab-fish is very desirous to eat Oysters but because she cannot perforee open them she watcheth her time when they open themselues vnto the sun after the tide and then she putteth in her claw and pulleth out the Oyster Euen so sathan watcheth his opportunity against vs that he may infect and breath into vs all filthy lusts and adulterous desires when wée lie open vnto him by idlenesse Wisely therfore to this point said the Gréeke Poet Much rest nourisheth lust And another Poet saith Quaritur agistus quare sit factus adulter In promtu causa est desidiosus erat Slothfull lazinesse is the cause of Adulterie And therefore another saith Eschew idlenesse and cut the sinewes of lust The fourth cause of adultery is wanton apparell which is a ministrelsie that pipes vp a daunce vnto whoredome But of this enough before The fift and last part of adultery is the hope of impunitie or escaping of punishment For many being blinded and hardened by Sathan thinke they shall neuer be called to an account for it And because they can bleare the eies of men and carry this sin so closely vnder a cloud that it shall neuer come to light they thinke all is safe and that God séeth them not And therefore Iob saith The eie of the adulterer waiteth
for the twi-light and saith None eie shall see me And in another place How shall God know can he iudge thorow the darke cloud But verily verily though the adulterer doe neuer so closely and cunningly conuey his sin vnder a canopie yet the time will come when it shall be disclosed to his eternall shame For God will bring euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thought whether it be good or euill For he hath set our most secret sins in the light of his countenance And hee will lighten the things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest For this cause Iob saith When I sinne thou watchest me and wilt not purge me from my sinne Phila. Now you haue shewed vs the causes of adultery I pray you shew vs the remedies Theol. There be six remedies for adultery which no doubt will greatly preuaile if they be well practised Phila. Which be they Theol. Labour Abstinence Temperance Praier Restraint of senses Shunning of womens company and all occasions whatsoeuer Phila. Well sir now you haue waded deepe enough in the second signe of damnation I pray you let vs proceed to the third which is couetousnesse And as you haue laid naked the two former so I pray you strip this starke naked also that all men may see what an vgly monster it is and therefore hate it and abhorre it Theol. I would willingly satisfie your mind but in this point I shall neuer do it sufficiently For no heart can conceiue or tongue sufficiently vtter the loathsomnesse of this vice For Couetousnesse is the foulest fiend blackest diuell of all the rest It is euen great Beelzebub himselfe Therefore I shall neuer be able fully to describe it vnto you but yet I will do what I can to strip it and whip it starke naked And howsoeuer that men of this earth and blind worldlings take it to be most swéet beautifull and amiable and therefore do embrace it entertaine it and welcome it as though there were some happinesse in it yet I hope when I haue shewed them the face thereof in a glasse euen the true glasse of Gods word they will be no more in such loue but quite out of conceit with it I will therefore hold out this glasse to them Saint Paul to Timothy brandeth this sinne in the forehead and boareth it in the eares that all men may know it and auoid it when hée saith Couetousnesse is the root of all euill Our Lord Iesus also giueth vs a watch-word to take héed of it saying Take heed and beware of couetousnesse As if he should say touch it not come not neare it it is the very breath of the diuell it is present death and the very rats-bane of the soule The Apostle laieth out the great danger of this sinne and doth excéedingly grime the face of it when he saith that the end of all such as minde earthly things is damnation Let all carnal worldlings and muckish minded men lay this to heart and consider well of it lest they say one day had I wist Phila. Good sir lay open vnto vs the true nature of Couetousnesse and what it is that we may more perfectly discerne it Theol. Couetousnesse is an immoderate desire of hauing Phila. I hope you doe not thinke frugality thriftinesse and good husbandry to be couetousnesse Theol. Nothing lesse For they be things commanded being done in the feare of God and with a good conscience Phila. Doe you not thinke it lawfull also for men to doe their wordly businesse and to vse faithfulnesse and diligence in their callings that they may prouide for themselues and their families Theol. Yes no doubt And the rather if they doe these things with calling vpon God for a blessing vpon the works of their hands and vse praier thanksgiuing before after their labor taking héed all the day long of the common corruptions of the world as swearing cursing lying dissembling deceiuing gréedy getting c. Phila. Wherein I pray you doth couetousnesse especially consist Theol. In the gréedy desire of the mind For we may lawfully doe the works of our calling and play the good husbands and good huswiues but we must take héed that distrustfulnes and inward gréedinesse of the world doe not catch our hearts For then are we set on fire and vtterly vndone Phila. Sith couetousnesse is especially of the heart how may we know certainely when the heart is infected Theol. There be foure speciall signes of the hearts infection Phil. Which be they Theo. The first is an eager and sharp set desire of getting Therefore the holy Ghost saith He that hasteth to be rich shall not be vnpunished And againe An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed The Heathen man also saith No man can be both iustly and hastily rich The second is a pinching and niggardly kéeping of our owne that is when men being able to giue will hardly part with any thing though it be to neuer so holy and good vse And when at last with much adoe for shame they giue somthing it commeth heauily from them God wot and scantly The third is the neglect of holy duties that is when mens minds are so taken vp with the loue of earthly things that they begin to slacke and coole in matters of Gods worship The fourth and last is a trusting in riches and staying vpon them as though our liues were maintained by them or did consist onely in them which thing our Lord Jesus flatly denieth saying Though a man haue abundance yet his life consisteth not in the things that hee hath Luke 12. 15. These then are foure euident signes and tokens whereby we may certainly discerne that meus harts and intrailes are infected with couetousnesse Phila. You haue very well satisfied vs in this point Now let vs vnderstand the originall causes of Couetousnesse Theol. There be two speciall causes of Couetousnesse The one is the ignorance and distrust of Gods prouidence The other is the want of tasting and féeling of heauenly things For till men taste better things they will make much of these till they feele heauen they will loue earth til they be religious they will be couetous Therfore the cause is soone espied why men are so sharpe set vpon these outward things and doe so admire riches worldly pompe pleasures and treasures Because they know no better they neuer had taste or feeling of those things which are eternall Phila. Now as you haue shewed vs the causes of Couetousnesse so let vs also heare of the effects Theol. If I once enter into this I shall bée entar gled and wound vp in a maze where I know not how to get out againe For the euill effects of this vice are so many and so great that I know not almost where to begin or where to end Notwithstanding I will enter into it get out
wealth long heauinesse short ioy Phila. Now you haue indeed described it to the full and laide it out as it were in orient colours And a man would thinke he were bewitched or starke mad which heereafter should set his minde on it But yet I am desirous to heare a little more of that which I asked you before where in the strength and poyson of the world doth specially consist Theol. In this lieth a great strength of the world that it draweth downe the stars of heauen and maketh them fall to the earth as it is said of the Dragons taile Apoc 12. which is ambition conetousnes the loue of this world For we may wonder and lament to sée how the loue of these things hath wounded ouerborne many excellent seruants of God both Preachers and professors of the Gospell which thing doth plainly argue the strength of it For it is the strongest the very last engine that sathan vseth to impugne vs withall when none other will preaaile For when no temptation could fasten vpon Christ he bringeth foorth this last weapoÌ„ which neuer faileth All these things will I giue thee shewing him the glory of the whole world So then he hauing experience of this that it neuer faileth thought to haue ouercome Christ himselfe with it Héere therefore lieth the very sting and strength of the world the diuel For whom hath he not takeÌ„ with All these things will I giue thee whom hath he not wounded whom hath he not deceiued whom hath he not ouerthrowen with this he enticed Baalam with this hée beguiled Achan with this he ouerthrew Iudas with this he be witched Demas with this in these our daies he deceiued many of excellent gifts For assuredly he is a Phoenix amongst men which is not ouercome with this He is a wonderment in the world that is not moued with mony Phila. I am now fully satisfied for this matter But one thing commeth often into my minde to wit that these miserable worldlings can haue no sound comfort in their pleasures and profits because they haue no comfort in God nor peace in their owne consciences Theol. You say very true It is vnpossible that men louing this world should haue anie sound comfort in God For no man can serue two masters both God and riches Their case therefore is very dangerous fearefull though they neuer sée it nor féele it as I will shew you by a plaine example Put case one of these great rich worldlings should be clothed in veluet cloth of gold in most stately manner and also should be set at his table furnished with al the dainties of the world should be attended and waited vpon by many in most Lordly and pompous manner should sit in his goodly dining-chamber all glittering like golde should haue his first second third seruice serued in with minstrels and instruments of musicke in most royall sort he sitteth in his chaire like a King in his throne yet for all this if a dagger should be held to his heart all this while ready to stab him what pleasure what ioy what comfort can he haue in all the rest Euen so whatsoeuer pompe or pleasures wicked worldlings haue héere below yet their guilty hellish conscience is as it were a dagger held alwayes hard to their hart so as they can haue no sound coÌ„fort in any thing Or let me giue it you thus Put case a man hath committed high treason and were therfore apprehended arraigned and condemned to be hanged drawen and quartered what then can comfort him in such a case can mirth can musicke can gold can siluer can lands can liuings No no none of all these can help him or giue him any comfort For the continuall thoughts of death do so gripe him at the heart that none of all these can do him any good or any whit mitigate his griefe What then is the thing that may comfort him in this case Only a pardon sealed with the Kings broad seale and subscribed with his owne hand For as soone as he hath got this his heauy heart reuiueth and leapes for ioy This then assuredly is the very cause of all prophane Atheists and worldlings who are not asiured of the King of heauen his pardon for their sinne and then what ioy can they haue either in their meat drinke goods cattell wiues children lands reuenewes or any thing whatsoeuer For the dreadful thoughts of hel do eftsoones crosse them inwardly quite dampe dash all their mirth Their owne consciences will not be stilled but in most terrible manner rise vp giue euidence against them telling them flatly they shall be damned how merry and iocund soeuer they séeme to be in this world setting a good face on the matter For sure it is that inwardly they haue many a cold pull and many heart gripes And all their mirth and iollity is but a gigling from the téeth outward they can haue no sound comfort within And therefore the wise King saith Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Likewise saith the holy man Iob Terrors of conscience come vpon the wicked man like waters in the night a whirle-winde carrieth him away secretly Eliphas the Temanite auouched the same point saying The wicked man is continually as one that trauaileth of child a sound of feare is in his eares c. Thus then wée sée that howsoeuer many carnall Atheists and vngodly persons séem outwardly to float aloft in all mirth and iollity bearing it out as wâ—e say at the breast yet inwardly they are piâ—ched with terrors and most horrible conuultions of conscience Antile You haue spoken many things very sharpely against couetousnesse but in my mind so long as a man couets nothing but his owne he cannot be said to be couetous Theol. Yes that he may For not only is he couetous which gréedily desireth other mens goods but euen he also which ouer niggardly and pinchingly holdeth fast his owne is such a miser that he will part with nothing We sée the world is full of such pinch-pennies that wil let nothing goe except it be wrung from them perforce as a key out of Hercules hand These gripple muck-rakers had as léeue part with their blood as their goods They wil pinch their owne backs bellies to get their god into their chests And when they haue once got him in there will they easily part with him trow yée No no a man will not part with his god for no mans pleasure He will eat peasebread and drinke small drinke rather then he will diminish his god Therefore the scripture saith Eate not the meat of him that hath an euill eye and desire not his dainty dishes For as hee grudgeth his owne soule so he will say vnto thee Eat and drinke when his heart is not with thee Thou shalt vomit thy morsels which thou hast eaten and lose thy pleasant speeches The
fire when it will be too late to repent Phila. What may be the cause of this so often and great swearing for surely it is no inherent and in-bred sinne in our nature as some of the other sinnes be Theol. No verily But these thrée I iudge to be the cause of it Custome Want of admonition Want of punishment Phila. What then are the remedies for it Theol. The remedies are these Disuse Praier Friendly admonition Some sharpe Law Phila. Well Sir now we haue heard enough of swearing I pray you proceed to the next signe of damnation which is lying Theol. Swearing and lying be of very néere kindred For he that is a common swearer is for the most part a common lier also For hee that maketh no conscience of swearing will make no conscience of lying And as the Lord hateth the one so also he hateth the other And as he punisheth the one so he will punish the other Therefore Salomon saith Lying lips are an abhomination vnto the Lord. Saint Iohn saith Without shall be dogges enchanters whoore-mongers murtherers and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies Againe the same holy man of God saith that liers shall haue their part and portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Phila. These scriptures which you alleadge doe manifestly declare that God abhorreth liers and hath reserued great torments for them Therefore the princely Prophet Dauid saith that he would banish all liers out of his house He that telleth lies saith he shal not remaine in my sight A lying tongue is one of the sixe things which God doth hate and his soule abhorre Yet for al this we see the lamentable experience how many haue euen taught their tongues to lie as the Prophet saith and there is no trueth in their lips This vice is almost as common as swearing For it is hard to finde a man that will speake the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth from his heart in simplicity and plainnesse at all times in all places and amongst all persons without all glozing or dissembling either for feare gaine flattery men-pleasing hiding of faults or any sinister respect whatsoeuer Where I say is this man to be found I would fain see him I would faine looke vpon such a man It would doe my heart good to behold him I would reioyce to set mine eyes vpon such a man Theo. Such a man as you speake of is hardly to be found among the sonnes of men They be blacke Swans in the earth they be white crowes they be rare birds For there be very few that will speake the truth from their heart yet some such I hope there be But for the most part amongst the greater sort lying dissembling and fraud do beare all the sway There is no truth no honesty no conscience no simplicity no plaine dealing amongst men in these most corrupt times Faith and truth are parted cleane away And as the kingly prophet saith The faithfull are failed from among the children of men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lippes and speake with a double heart Men now adayes studie the Arte of lying flattering fawning glosing and dissembling they haue a heart and a heart They haue hony in their mouth and gall in their heart Their tongues are as soft as butter and oile but their hearts are full of bitternesse poison and wormwood They are full of outward courtesie and ciuility full of court holy water when there is no truth nor plainenesse in their inward affection They will speake you faire when they would cut your throats They will shew you a good countenance when they would eate your heart with garlicke In outward shew they will carry themselues plausibly when their hearts are full of venome malice This viperous brood do but watch their times opportunities till they can get a man vpon the hip and then they will sting him worke their malice vpon him These fauning curs will not barke till they bite They will lurke and lie close til they spie their vantage and then they wil shew themselues in their kinde then they will hoist a man and turne him ouer the perke if they can These men are like the waters which are most déepe where they are most calme like a dangerous rocke hid vnder a calme sea or as the Heathen say like the Syrens song which is the Sailers wrecke like the Fowlers whistle which is the birds death like the hid bait which is the fishes bane like the Harpyes which haue virgins faces and Uultures tallons or like Hyena which speaketh like a friend and deuoureth like a foe or as the Scripture saith like Ioab the captaine of the hoast which spake kindly to Amasa an other Captain kissed him when presently hée stabd him or like vnto the Herodians and Pharisies seruants which came to our Lord Jesus with many fawning insinuations calling him good master telling him that he was the plaine truth that he taught the way of God truely he regarded no mans person and many good morrows and all this géere when as in very déed their purpose was to intangle him in his words and to entrap him that they might catch aduantage against him so cut his throt giue him pap with a hatchet This it is which the wise man saith A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet And againe As siluer drosse ouerlaid vpon an earthen pot so are fawning lips and an euill heart And in another place hée saith Hee that beareth hatred will counterfait with his lips but hee laieth vp deceit in his heart When hee shall shew his voice fauourably trust him not For their are seuen abhominations in his heart Hee will couer hatred by deceit but his malice shall be discouered in the congregation In another place he pronounceth a curse vpon all these hollow hearted hypocrites and meale-mouthed flatterers For saith he Vnto him that blesseth his friend with a loud voice betimes in the morning rising vp earely a curse shall be imputed Phila. You haue very well described the conditions of the men of this age which haue faces countenances and tongues but no harts which professe lying and dissembling which say hee cannot liue that cannot dissemble which haue faire faces and false hearts which haue forgotten that plaine honesty is deepe policy Theol. The holy Ghost often in the Prouerbs of Salomon calleth all vnregenerate men fooles or as it is in the Hebrew men without hearts Because they haue no heart to God no heart to his word no heart to his children no heart to godlinesse no heart to any thing that good is They are without an honest heart an vpright heart a plaine heart They are all in words nothing in déeds They promise mountaines and performe mol-hils They will speake well of religion and practise nothing They wil giue faire
quake and tremble when these gréedy wolues come abroad And as Iob speaketh the poore of the earth hide themselues together For alas in their hearts they cannot abide the sight of them they had as léeue méet the diuell as méet them for feare of one displeasure or another For either they feare that they wil warne them out of their houses or parley about more rent and straighter couenants or beg away their best kine or borow their horses or command their carts or require a wéeks worke of them neuer pay them for it or a twelue moneths pasture for a couple of Geldings or that they wil make one quarel or another vnto thē or one mischiefe or another Se that these poore soules cannot tel what to do nor which way to turn them for feare of these cruel termagants They are euen weary of their liues For they haue no remedie for these things but euen to beare it off with head and shoulders Therefore they often with they were out of the world and that they were buried quicke They say if any will knocke them on the head they will forgiue him O most pittious case O lamentable hearing These poore silly creatures are faine to drudge and moile all the yere long in winter summer in frost snow in heat cold to prouide their rents that they may be able to pay their cruell Land-lord at his day For else how shall they be able to looke him in the face Yet their rent is so rackt that all that they can do is little enough to pay it And when that is paid alas the poore man his wife children haue little left to take to or to maintaine themselues withal they are faine to gnaw of a crust to fare hardly go thinly clad Sometimes they haue victuals and sometimes none The poore children cry for bread Poore widowes also poore fatherlesse children are found wéeping mourning in their houses and in their stréets So that now we may with Salomon turne and consider all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the Sun Wée may behold the téeres of the oppressed and none comforteth them For the mighty ones do wrong the weaker euen as the strongen beasts do push and harme the féebler These griping oppressors do pinch the poore euen to the quicke They plucke away from the fatherlesse and widowes that little which they haue If there be but a cowe or a few sheepe left they will haue them If there be a little commodity of house or land oh what deuises they haue to wind it in to wring it away These tyrants will go as nigh as the bed they lie vpon They know well inough the poore men are not able to wage law with them and therfore they may do what wrong they will shew what cruelty they list Hence commeth the téeres of the oppressed hence commeth the wéeping wailing of the poore But alas poore soules they may wel wéep to ease their hearts a little but there is none to comfort them remedy they can haue none But yet assuredly the euerlasting God doth looke vpon them will be reuenged For the cries of the poore the fatherles and the widowes haue entred into the cares of the Lord of Hosts who is an auenger of all such things yea a strong reuenger as Salomon saith Enter not into the field of the fatherlesse for their reuenger is strong He himselfe will plead their cause against thee And againe he saith Rob not the poore because hee is poore neither tread downe the afflicted in the gate for the Lord pleadeth their cause and will spoile their soule that spoile them We sée then that the most iust God wil be reuenged on these vnmercifull tyrants He will not alwaies put vp these wrongs and iniuries done to the poore In the eight chapter of the Prophet Amos hee sweareth by the excellency of Iacob that hee will neuer forget any of their workes And againe he saith by his Prophet Ieremie Shall I not be auenged on such a Nation as this Surely he will set his face against them to root them out of the earth For indéed they are not worthy to crawle vpon the face of the earth or to draw breath amongst the sonnes of men It is written in the booke of Psalmes that God will set their fellowes opposite against him as a Butte to shoot at that he will put them apart and the strings of his bow shall he make ready against their faces Be astonished at this O ye heauens and tremble O thou earth Heare this O ye cruell land-lords vnmercifull oppressors and blood-suckers of the earth You may well be called blood-suckers for you suck the bloud of many poore men women children you eat it you drinke it you haue it serued in at your sumptuous tables euery day you swallow it vp and liue by it And as Iob saith The wildernes giueth you and your children food That is you liue by robbing and murthering But wo wo vnto you that euer you were born For the blood of the oppressed which you haue eaten drunken shall one day cry for spéedy vengeance against you as the blood of Abel cried against Cain Their blood shall witnesse against you in the day of iudgment and the téeres of many poore starued children orphans widowes shall cry out against you Was the Lord reuenged of Achab for his cruell and vninst dealing with poore Naboth and shall he not be reuenged of you Did the dogs lap the blood of Achab and shall you escape No no you shall not escape The Lord will be a swift witnesse against you as he saith in Malachie Was the Lord angry with the rich of his people for oppressing the poore so as the cry of the people and of their wiues against their oppressors was heard of the Almighty do you think you shal escape scot-frée Doth not the like cause bring foorth the like effect the like sinne the like punishment know therefore for a certainty that the Lord hath coffers full of vengeance against you and one day he will vnlocke them and bring them forth in the sight of all men Know also that the timber of your houses and the stones of your walles which you haue built by oppression and blood shall crie against you in the day of the Lords wrath as the Prophet Abacuck telleth you The stone saith he shall crie out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Where the Prophet telleth you that the walles of your houses built in blood shall cry out loud and shall and play the Quiristers in that behalfe so as they shall answer one another on either side The one side singeth behold blood the other behold murder The one side behold deceit the other behold cruelty The one behold pilling poling the other behold couetousnesse The one behold robbery the other behold penury And thus
goods and name Theol. I haue dwelt the longer in these common vices of the world because almost all sorts of men are stained with one or other of them and therefore they can neuer be enough spoken against For the whole world lieth in them as S. Iohn testifieth If men therefore could be recouered of these diseases no doubt there would be a ready passage made for the abundance of grace and wée should haue a most flourishing Church and Common-wealth but as long as these doe lie in the way there is small hope of greater mercies and blessings to be powred vpon vs or that euer we shall come to haue an inward conuersation with God For these vices blinde our eies burden our hearts and as the Prophet Ieremy saith hinder many things from vs. But touching your petition I must néeds grant that as these vices are the very bane of the soule and most certaine signes of condemnation so are they very dangerous to the body goods name yea and to the whole land both Church and Common-wealth Phila. Shew vs out of the Scriptures what danger they bring to the body Theol. The Lord our God saith that if wée will not obey him nor kéepe his commandements but break his couenant he will appoint ouer vs hastie plagues consumptions and the burning ague to consume the eies and to make the heart heauy So also he saith that if we will not obey his voice to obserue all his commandements and ordinances that then he wil make the pestilence cleaue vnto vs vntill hée haue consumed vs that hée will smite vs with the Feauer with the botch of Egypt with the Emeroids with the Scabbe and with the Itch that also he will smite vs with madnesse and with blindnes and with astonishment of heart So then you see what great euils the Lord threatneth to inflict vpon our bodies in this life for these and such like sinnes But on the centrary the holy ghost saith Feare God and depart from euill so health shall be vnto thy nauell and moisture vnto thy bones Phila. What euill doe these forenamed sins bring vpon vs in our goods and outward estate Theol. They cause God to curse vs in all that we set hand vnto as plentifully appeareth in the forenamed Chapters where the Lord saith thus If thou wilt not obey the commandements of the Lord thy God cursed shalt thou bee in the towne cursed also in the field cursed shall be thy basket and thy store cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and the increase of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Cursed shalt thou bee when thou commest in and cursed also when thou goest out The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing trouble and shame in all that thou settest thy hand vnto And further he saith That hee will breake the staffe of their bread that ten women shall bake their bread in one ouen and they shall deliuer their bread againe by waight and they shall eat and not be satisfied You do therefore apparantly sée that these sins will draw downe Gods wrath vpon vs and al that we haue Phila. What hurt doe these sinnes to our good name Theol. They bring reproch shame infamy vpon vs and cause vs to be abhorred and contemned of all good men They doe vtterly blot out our good name For as vertue maketh men honorable and reuerend so vice maketh men vile contemptible This is set downe where the Lord threatneth Israel that for their sinnes and disobedience he will make them a prouerbe common talke yea a reproach astonishment amongst all people In sundry other places of the Prophets he threatneth for their sinnes to make them a reproach a shame and hissing and nodding of the head to all Nations Phila. I doe verily thus thinke that as sinne generally doth staine euery mans good name which all are charie and tender of so especially it doth blot those which are in high places and of speciall note for learning wisedome and godlinesse Theol. You haue spoken most truely and agréeable to the Scriptures For the Scripture saith As a dead flie causeth the Apothecaries ointment to stinke so doth a little follie him that is in estimation for wisedome for honor Where Salomon sheweth that if a flie get into the Apothecaries box of ointment and die and putrifie in it she marreth it though it be neuer so pretious Euen so if a little sinne get into the heart and breake out into the forhead of a man of great fame for some singular gifts it will blurre him though he be neuer so excellent Phila. Shew this I pray you more plainly Theol. Wée obserue this in all experience that if a Noble man be a good man and haue many excellent parts in him of courtesie patience humility and loue of Religion yet if hée be couetous the common people will haue their eye altogether vpon that and they will say Such a Noble man is a very good man but for one thing hée is excéeding couetous oppresseth poore men dealeth hardly with his tenants kéepeth no house doth little good in the country where he dwelleth And this is it that marreth all Moreouer let a Judge a Justice or a Magistrate bée endued with excellent gifts of prudence policie temperance liberality knowledge in the law yet if they be giuen to anger or taking of bribes oh how it will grieue them amongst the people For they will say Hée is a worthy man indéed but there is one thing in him that marreth all he is an exceding angry and furious man he is as angry as a waspe he will be in a pelting chafe for euery trifle hée will fret and fume if you doe but blow vpon hun And besides this he is a very corrupt man hée is a great taker of bribes hée loueth well to bée bribed hée will doe any thing for bribes Furthermore if any Preacher be a man of great gifts the common people will say of him Oh hée is a worthy man indéed an excellent Scholar a profound Diuine a singular man in a Pulpit but yet for all that hée hath a shrewd touch which marreth all he is an excéeding proud man hée is as proud as Lucifer He hath very great gifts indéed but I warrant you hée knoweth it well enough For hée carrieth his crest very high and looketh very sternely and disdainefully vpon all other men Hée is vnmeasurably puft vp with ouerwéening and thinketh that he toucheth the clouds with his head Thus therefore we sée how the dead flies marre all and how some one sinne doth disgrace a man that otherwise doth excell Phila. What is the cause why some one sinne doth so blot and smut the most excellent men Theol. The reason héereof is because such men are as a candle set vpon a candle-sticke or rather vpon a scaffold or mountaine for all men to behold and looke vpon And sure it is
they haue a thousand eies vpon them euery day and that not onely gazing vpon them but also prying very narrowly into them to spie out the least moat that they may make a mountaine of it For as in a cleane white paper one little spot is soone espied but in a péece of browne paper twenty great blurs are scant discerned euen so in Noble men Judges Magistrates Justices Preachers and Professors the least spot or specke is soone seene into but amongst the baser sort and most grosse liuers almost nothing is espied or regarded Phila. Sith the eies of all men are bent and fixed vpon such men as are of some note therefore they had neede verie heedfully to looke to their steps that they may take away all aduantage from them that seeke aduantage Theol. Yes verily And furthermore they had néed to pray with Dauid alwaies Direct my steps O Lord in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer mee And againe Order my doings that my footsteps slippe not vphold mee in mine integritie For if such men bée neuer so little giuen to swearing to lying to drinke or to women it is espied by and by and therewithall their credit is cracked their fame ouer-cast their glory eclipsed and the date of their good name presently expired Phila. Now as you haue shewed what great hurt these sinnes doe bring vpon our soule bodies goods and name so also I pray you shew what danger they doe bring vpon the whole land Theol. Questionlesse they doe pull downe the wrath of God vpon vs all and giue him iust cause to breake all in péeces and vtterly to subuert ouerthrow the good estate both of church and Common-wealth yea to make a finall consumption and desolation of all For they be the very fire-brands of Gods wrath and as it were touch-wood to kindle his anger and indignation vpon vs. For the Apostle saith For such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disodedience Phila. Declare vnto vs out of the Scriptures how the Lord in former times hath punished whole Nations and Kingdomes for these and such like sinnes Theol. In the fourth of Hosea the Lord telleth his people that hée hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land and the reason is added because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing lying killing stealing and whoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off Héere then we sée what it is that wil incense God against vs and cause vs all to mourne So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos that for the cruelty and oppression of the poore hée would plague the whole land Shall not the land tremble for this sayth the Lord and euerie one mourne that dwelleth therein Againe the Lord sayeth by his Prophet Ieremie Doe they prouoke mee to anger and not themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Therefore thus sayth the Lord Behold mine anger and my wrath shall bee powred vpon this place vpon man and beast vpon the tree of the field and vpon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched Againe the Lord saith If yee will not heare these words I swear by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste and I will prepare destroyers against thee euery one with his weapons and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar trees and cast them in the fire Likewise the Lord threateneth by his Prophet Ezechiel saying Because yee haue not walked in my statutes nor kept my iudgements therefore behold I euen I come against thee and will execute iudgement in the middest of thee euen in the sight of Nations and I will doe in thee that I neuer did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thine abhominations For in the middest of thee the fathers shall eat their sonnes and the sonnes shall eate their fathers Againe by the same Prophet the Lord saith The land is full of the iudgement of blood and the citie full of crueltie Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses I will also make the pompe of the mighty to cease and the holy places shall be defiled When destruction commeth they shall seeke peace and not haue it Calamity shall come vpon calamitie and rumour vpon rumour Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priests and counsell from the auncient The King shall mourne and the Prince shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the land shall bee troubled I will doe vnto them according to their waies and according to their iudgements will I iudge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Last of all the Lord saith by his Prophet Heare O earth behold I will cause a plague to come vpon this people euen the sruit of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heed to my words nor to my Law but cast it off Almost innumerable places to this purpose are to be found in the writings of the prophets but these may suffice to prooue the maine point to wit that the iust God doth punish whole nations and kingdomes for the sinnes and rebellions thereof Phila. Sith all these sinnes for the which the Lord did execute such vniuersall punishments vpon his owne people doe abound and ouerflow in this land may wee not iustly feare some great plague to fall vpon vs and the rather because our transgressions doe increase daily and grow to a full height and ripenesse so as it seemeth the haruest of Gods vengeance draweth neere and approacheth Theol. We may indéed iustly feare and tremble For if God spared not the Angels that sinned how shall he spare vs If he spared not his owne people what can wée looke for If hée spared not the naturall braunches how shall hée spare vs which are wilde by nature Are we better then they Can we looke to bée spared when they were punished Are not our sinnes as many and as great as theirs Doth not the same cause bring forth the same effect Is the arme of the Lord shortned Or is not God the same iust God to punish sinne now that he was then Yes yes assuredly And therefore wée haue great cause to mourne and lament to quake and tremble because there is a naked sword of vengeance hanging ouer our heads Thus did Ieremie thus did Amos thus did Abacuck when they plainely saw the imminent wrath of God approching vpon the people of Israel and Iudah Phila. I thinke we may the rather doubt and feare because the punishment of these forenamed vices is neglected by the Magistrate For commonly when they that beare the sword of Iustice doe not draw it out to punish notorious offenders and malefactours the Lord himselfe
will take the matter into his owne hands and bee reuenged in his owne person which is most dreadfull and daungerous For it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God Theo. You haue spoken a truth For if those which are Gods deputies and vice-gerents in the earth doe their duties faithfully in punishing vice and maintaining vertue in smiting the wicked and fauouring the godly then assuredly euill shall bée taken out of Israel Gods wrath preuented and his iudgments intercepted as it is written Phineas stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied But if they for feare fauour affection gaine flattery bribery or any other sinister respect will be too sparing and remisse in punishing of grosse offenders and be rather ready to smite the righteous then doe they excéedingly prouoke Gods wrath against the land and against themselues Phila. One thing I doe greatly lament that there be either none at all or very slender censurers either by the Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall authority for diuers of these fore-named vices as pride couetousnesse oppression lying idlenesse swearing c. Theol. It is a thing to be lamented indéed For where doe wée sée a proud man punished a couetous man punished an oppressor punished aswearer punished a liar punished an idle person punished Now because they know they cannot or shall not be punished therefore they are altogether hardned and imboldned in their sinnes as the wise man saith Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to doe euill Phila. One thing I do much muse at wherein also I desire to be further satisfied to wit what is the cause that vnder so godly a prince so many good lawes and so much good preaching and teaching there should notwithstanding be such an excesse and ouerflowing of sin in all estates Theo. The causes héere of are diuers and manifold But I will nominate soure especiall ones in my iudgement The first is mans naturall corruption which is so strong as almost nothing can bridle it The second is ill presidents and externall prouocations to euill The third is the want of teaching in many congregations of the land by reason whereof many know not sinne to be sinne The last reason is the corruption and negligence of some such as are in authority Phila. Doth not this inundation and ouerflowing of sinne with the impunity of the same Prognosticate great wrath against vs Theol. Yes vndoubtedly as hath in part béene shewed before And there he diuers other presages of wrath though not of the same kinde which are these Vnthankefulnesse for the Gospell The abuse of our long peace Our generall security Our secret Idolatries Our ripenesse in all sinne Our abuse of all Gods mercies Our abuse of his long patience The coldnesse of professors Our not profitting by former iudgements as pestilence famine dearth and the shaking of the Sword Phila. This last I take to be a speciall token of approching vengeance that we haue not profited by former warnings Theol. True indéed For it is an ordinary thing with God when men will not profit by milde corrections and common punishments then to lay greater vpon them And when a former trouble doth vs no good we are to feare a finall consuming trouble For so we reade in the Prophecie of Hosea that at the first God was to Ephraim as a moth and to Iudah as rottennesse but afterward when as they profited not by it he was to Ephraim as a Lion and to Iudah as a Lions whelpe So the Lord saith in another place that if they will not come in and yéeld obedience at the first call of his wrath then he will punish them seuen times more But if they continue in their stubbornnesse then he threatneth to bring seuen times more plagues vpon them according to their sins If by all these they would not be reformed but walke stubbornely against him then he threatneth yet seuen times more for their sins and the fourth time yet seuen times more The proofe héereof wée haue in the booke of the Iudges Where we read how the people of Israel for their sins were in subiection to the King of Aram Naharim eight yéeres afterward because they profited nothing by it but returned to their old sinnes therfore they serued Eglon king of Moab eightéene yéeres After that againe for their new sinnes and prouocations the Lord gaue them vp into the hands of Midian seuen yéeres After all this for the renewing of their sins the Lord solde them into the hands of the Philistins and the Amonites which did gréeuously vex and oppresse them for the space of eightéene yéeres Last of all we reade that when neither famine nor pestilence could cause them to returne vnto him then he deliuered them vp to the sword of their enemies and held them in bondage captiuity thréescore and ten yéeres After all this when they were deliuered out of Captiuity and returned home safely to their owne nation and inioyed some good time of peace and rest yet at last they fell to renewing of their sinnes and therfore the Lord plagued them most grieuously by the diuided Gréeke Empire euen by Magog and Egypt Seleucidae and Lagidae and that by the space almost of thrée hundred yéeres And this is it that the Prophet Hosea did foretell that the children of Israel should remaine many daies without a King and without a prince without an offering and without an image without an Ephod and without Teraphim Phila. You haue very largely laide open this last token of vengeance to wit that God at the first doth but beat vs vpon the coat but if we continue in sinne he will whip vs on the bare skinne and if men will not yeeld at the first gentle stroaks then he wil strike harder and harder till he haue broken our stout stomacks and made our great hearts come downe Therefore it is good yeelding at the first for we shall get nothing by our sturdinesse against him We doe but cause him to double his strokes and strike vs both sidelings and ouer-thwart For he cannot indure that we should gruntle against him with stubborne fullennesse But now to the point Sith there are so many presages and foresignes of Gods wrath I pray you shew what it is that staieth the execution and very downefall of the same Theo. The praiers and téeres of the faithfull are the speciall mean that stay the hand of God from striking of vs. For the praiers of the righteous are of great force with him euen able to do all things Saint Iames saith that the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent and bringeth the example of Elias to proue it For saith he Though Elias was a man subiect to the like passions that we be yet was he able by his praiers both to open
heauen and wide gates into hell I pray you therefore proue them out of the Scriptures and lay them forth somewhat more largely Theol. The first which is Infidelity is proued out of the fourth chapter to the Hebrewes where it is written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe They could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people from entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fansies They will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lustes and likings profits pleasures Though things be manifestly prooued to their faces and both the Chapter and the Uerse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they beléeue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another When God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lie Some againe will say if all bée true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how Infidelity doth barre men out of Heauen and cast them into hell Phila. Let vs heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. of Deuteronomy where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one sinne to another the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Héere we sée how the mightie God doth thunder downe vpon such as goe on in their sins presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may haue but a Lord haue mercy vpon me thrée houres before death I care not But it is iust with God when those thrée hours come to shut them vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therefore the Prophet Dauid seeing the grieuousnesse of this sin praieth to be deliuered from it Keepe me ô Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not raigne ouer me Let all men therfore take héed of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will he shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that iustice goeth from him as well as mercy Phila. Let vs come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is prooued in the 23. of Exod. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill In another place the Lord saith After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe and after the manner of the land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall yee not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the Children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Ieremy The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare But we will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth and we will doe as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Note héere how they doe altogether refuse the word of the Lord and how to follow the example of the multitude Wée sée in these our daies by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried down this streame and for defence of it some will say Doe as the most men doe and the fewest wil speake of you Which is a very wicked speach For if wée will follow the course of the most we shall haue the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let vs therefore take héed of bending with the sway For the sway of the world doth waigh downe all things that can bée spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Phila. Proceed to the fourth gate into Hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For he saith Can the blacke More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leaue an old custome of sinne as to wash a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall are most impossible So when men through custom haue made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall vnto them oh how hard it is to leaue them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and féeling of sinne Phila. Let vs heare of the fift gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is auouched by the wise man in these words Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardned in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone vpon another and cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But it hath béene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he méet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an olde théefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take héed For as the prouerbe saith Though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies For there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you sée how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction That is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the law of the Magistrate Phila. Let vs come to the sixt gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who
speake something of it Theol. The sleights of Sathan in this behalfe are moe and more slie then I or any man else can possibly discouer For who is able to descrie or in sufficient manner to lay open the déepe subtilties and most secret and sinfull suggestions of the Diuell in the hearts of men Hée is so cunning a crafts master this way that none can perfectly trace him His workings in the hearts of men are with such close and hid deceits and most methodicall and craftie conueyances that none can sufficiently finde them out But yet notwithstanding I will béewray so much as I know or can conceiue of his dealings with men that heare the word that he may steale it out of their hearts and make it fruitlesse and vnprofitable First of all hée bestirreth him and laboureth hard to kéepe men fast asléepe in their sinnes that they may haue no care at all of their saluation and therefore disswadeth them from hearing or reading the word at all lest they should bée awaked If this will not preuaile but that they must néeds heare then his craft is to make their hearing vnprofitable by sléepinesse dulnesse by-thoughts conceitednesse and a thousand such like If this will not serue the turne but that the word doth get within them and worke vpon them so as thereby they grow to some knowledge and vnderstanding of the truth then he practiseth another way which is to make them rest themselues vpon their bare knowledge and so become altogether consciencelesse If this will not suffice but that men fall to doing and leaue some sinnes especially the grosse sinnes of the world and doe some good then he perswadeth them to trust to those doings without Christ and to thinke themselues well inough because they doe some good and leaue some euill If this bée not enough but that men attaine vnto the true iustifying faith which apprehendeth Christ and resteth vpen his merits then he deuiseth how to blemish the beauty of their faith and weaken their comfort through many frailties and wants yea grosse downefalles and ranke euils so as they shall bée but spotted and leaprous Christians If this weapon will not worke but that Christians doe ioyne all good vertues with their faith and abundantly shine foorth in all fruits of righteousnesse then he casteth about another way which is to daunt and dampe them with discouragements as pouertie necessity sicknesse reproches contempts persecutions c. If none of all these will doe the déeds but that men constantly beléeue in Christ and patiently and ioyfully endure all afflictions then his last refuge is to blow them vp with gun-powder that is to puffe them vp with a pride of their gifts graces and strength and so to giue them an vtter ouerthrow whilest they doe not walke humbly and giue God the praise of his gifts Thus haue you a little taste of Sathans cunning in making the word vnfruitfull amongst vs. Asune I pray you good sir seeing I am ignorant and vnlearned giue me some particular directions out of the word of Gnd for the good guiding and ordering of my particular actions in such sort as that I may glorifie God in the earth and after this life be glorified of him for euer Theol. It were an infinite thing to enter into all particulars but briefely doe this First séeke God earnestly in his word pray much in all things giue thanks Eschew euil and doe good Feare God and kéepe his Commandements reforme your selfe and your houshold loue vertue and vertuous men kéepe company with the godly and auoid the society of the wicked Liue soberly iustly and holily in the present euil world Speake alwais graciously ◠beware of filthy communication Recompense to no man euill for euill but recompense euill with good Be curteous and pitifull towards all men Take héed of swearing cursing and banning Beware of anger wrath and bitternesse Praise your friend openly reprooue him secretly Speake no euill of them that are absent nor of the dead Speake euill of no man speake alwaies the best or at least not the worst Reuerence Gods name and kéepe his Sabbaths Auoid all the signes of condemnation and labour after all the signes of saluation Aboue all things take héed of sin for that is the very cutthroat of the soule and bane of all goodnesse Tremble therefore and sinne not For if you sinne marke what followeth Sixe great dangers in sinne God seeth His Angels beare witnesse The conscience pricketh Death threatneth The Diuell accuseth Hell deuoureth You sée then that sinne is no scarcrow or iesting matter Euery sin that a man commiteth is as a thorne thrust déepe into the soule which will not be got out againe but with many a sigh and many a sorrowfull oh oh Euery sinne is written with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond vpon the conscience and shall in the last day when the bookes shall be opened accuse vs and giue in euidence against vs. If a man commit sinne with pleasure the pleasure passeth away but the conscience and sting of the sinne abideth and tormenteth deadly but if a man doe well though with labour and painfulnesse the paine passeth away yet the conscience of well dooing remaineth with much comfort But the best end of sinne is alwaies repentance if not in this life then with woe and alas when it is too late Therefore take héed in time take héed I say of sinne Six most hurtfull effects of sinne Sinne hardneth the heart Sinne gnaweth the conscience Sinne fighteth against the soule Sinne bringeth foorth death Sinne maketh ashamed Sinne procureth all plagues of bodie and soule Behold therefore the euil effects of sin For this cause Zophar the Naamathite speaketh very wisely to Iob saying When thou shalt lift thy face out of thy sinne thou shalt be strong and shalt not feare thou shalt forget all sorrow thou shalt temember it as the waters that are past Where Zophar plainly sheweth that the auoiding of sinne is our strength and the committing of it our weakening According to that of Salomon The way of the Lord is the strength of the vpright man Therefore walke in the way of God and take héed of the waies of sinne For God punisheth euery sinne his way some one way and some another and no sinne can escape vnpunished For because God is iust therfore he must néeds punish sinne in all men though in diuers manners as the wicked in their owne persons the godly in Christ Beware of it therefore and flatter not your selfe in your sinnes Remember how euery disobedience and euery transgression hath had a iust recompence of reward God hath in all ages matched the causes with the effect that is sinne with the punishment of sinne The Isralites for breaking the first commandement in making other Gods were often smitten by the hand of God Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron for the breach of the second commandement in offering strange
apparell 49 51 Whooredome and the dangers thereof 54 Excuses of whooredome 56 The fearefull effects of whooredome 60 The punishment of whooredome 56 57 The causes of whooredome 63 Remedies against whooredome 67 Couetousnesse what ibid. Couetousnesse wherein it doth consist 68 Foure notes to discerne the inward couetousnesse of the heart by 69 The euill effects of couetousnesse 71 The vanitie of this world and all worldly things 76 Excuses of couetousnesse 90 Remedies against couetousnesse 97 Gods prouidence for his children in the things of this life 98 For the things of this life Gods blessing is all in all 104 Outward meanes alone do not vphold vs. ibid. 105 Gods children sometimes are brought to great distresse 108 Gods children alwaies sure to be deliuered out of trouble 113 The great priuiledges of Gods children 116 Contempt of the Gospell a grieuous sinne 120 Contempt of the Gospell punished 121 Contempt of the Gospell the sinne of this age 122 Contempt of the Gospell a foresigne of wrath to the Land 130 Swearing and the punishments thereof 138 Excuses for swearing 146 Causes of swearing 149 Remedies against swearing ibid. Lying flattering and dissembling 150 Punishments for lying 158. 159 Excuses of lying 160 Causes of lying 161 Remedies against lying ibid. Drunkennesse and all the euill effects thereof 163 Excuses of drunkennesse 167 Causes of drunkennesse 167 Remedies for drunkennesse 168 Idlenesse and the wofull effects thereof 174 Causes of Idlenesse 179 Remedies against Idlenesse 179 Oppression a most horrible sinne 180 Many woes denounced against oppressours 181 Sundry kinds of Oppression 182. 183 Causes of Oppression 197 Remedies of Oppression 197 Sinne hurteth men in their bodies goods and name ibid. Sinne bringeth great danger to the whole Land 205 Nine predictions of wrath to the Land 210 The praiers and teares of the faithfull keepe backe the wrath of God from the Land 213 Praiers of the elect of great force 214 The wicked fare the better for Gods children 220 The best course to preuent Gods iudgements and to keepe backe his wrath from our Land 224 Tenne speciall things concerning the continuance of our peace 230 Nine signes of a found soule 232 Saint Peters eight markes of saluation ibid. Seuen infallible tokens of saluation 223 Assurance of saluation in this life prooued 352 Obiections against the assurance of saluation answered 237. The ground-worke of our saluation 241 Some doubts may stand with the assurance of faith 242 It is no presumption to bee perswaded of our saluation 244 The wicked cannot be assured of their saluation 245 The security of saluation which the wicked bragge of is vaine 247 Nine things required of all that shall be saued by Christ 250 Many say they hope to be saued by Christ but few can giue a reason why Christ died for them particularly and by name 252 Few shall be saued proued by scriptures reasons and examples 256 But few euen in the visible Church shall be saued 262 Obiections against the small number of the elect answered 263 Obiections of Atheists and vnbeleeuers answered 264 Reading of the Scriptures much commended 272 Deferring of repentance dangerous 277 God no authour of mans condemnation but himselfe 278 Obiections against predestination answered 279. 280 Gods decree no cause of Adams fall 283 The decree of reprobation prooued 284 Prescience in God what 285 The decree of election prooued 286 The first mouiue of election is in God himselfe 287 Fore-seene faith and fore-seene works no motiues of saluation ibid. Faith dependeth vpon election not election vpon faith 288 A reason yeelded why there is no end of cauilling and obiecting against the truth 292 Nine barres out of heauen 293 Nine gates into hell 294 The ignorance of the world 301 The answers of ignorant men to the grounds of religion 319 The meanes to get out of ignorance 322 Ignorance a most dangerous thing 323. 324 The charge of Ministers exceeding waightie and most carefully to be looked vnto 328 What is the best course for Ministers to take to bring the people out of ignorance 331 What is the best course for the people to take that they may be brought out of the bondage of sinne and captiuitie of Satan 333 Preaching a matter of absolute necessitie vnto eternal life 337 Without preaching the people are in great danger of losing their soules 336 Sathans cunning in frustrating the hearing of the Word and making all preaching vtterly vnprofitable 339 The Preachers counsell to the ignorant man 341 Six great dangers in sinne 342 Six most fearefull euents of sinne 343 God in all ages hath seuerely punished the transgressers of his law 344 Euery sinne though neuer so little in our eies is hainous and capitall because it is against a person of infinite maiestie 346 Nine profitable considerations 346 If men would leaue words and fall to doing great good would come of it 348 Nine things much to be thought vpon 350 The description of Christs comming to iudgement 351 The terror the suddennesse the end the maner and the vse of Christs second comming described 352 353 The torments of hell with the extremitie perpetuitie and remedilesnesse thereof described 361 The ignorant man vpon the hearing of the day of iudgment and hell fire laide open is pricked in his conscience bewaileth his former life repenteth earnestly for his sinne and ignorance and desireth spirituall Physicke and comfort of the Preacher 374 The Preacher ministreth vnto him much spiritual comfort and doth in ample manner laie open vnto him all the sweete promises of the Gospell and the infinite mercy of God in Christ to all true penitent and broken hearted sinners 375 The ignorant man being afflicted in his conscience is exceedingly comforted with the hearing of Gods abundant mercy preached vnto him and thereupon doth gather great inward peace conuerteth vnto God with all his heart and doth exceedingly blesse God for the Preachers counsell 391 FINIS A Morning prayer to be vsed in priuate families O Lord our God and heauenlie Father we thy vnwoorthy children doe heere come into thy most holy and heauenly presence to giue thee praise and glory for all thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards vs especially for that thou hast preserued vs this night past from all the dangers and feares thereof hast giuen vs quiet rest to our bodies and brought vs now safely to the beginning of this day dost now afresh renew all thy mercies vpon vs as the Eagle reneweth her bill giuing vs all things abundantly to enioy as foode raiment health peace libertie and freedome from many miseries diseases casualties and calamities which we are subiect vnto in this life euery minute of an houre and not onely so but also for vouchsafeing vnto vs many good things not onely for necessitie but euen for delight also But aboue all deare Father we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life specially for thy most holy word and sacraments and all the good we enioy thereby for the continuance